Thirteen people evacuated from Aljunied flat fire, likely started by lit candle

SCDF was alerted at 7.05am and extinguished the blaze using a water jet. - ST

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): A fire broke out in a flat in the Aljunied area on Friday morning (Aug 19) and led to 13 people being evacuated from the Housing Board block.

A statement from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire at a sixth-storey unit at Block 3 Upper Aljunied Lane likely occurred due to a lit candle in the living room.

SCDF was alerted at 7.05am and extinguished the blaze using a water jet.

SCDF said three people left the block themselves before its officers arrived, while it evacuated another 10 people from nearby units. As a precautionary measure, two people were assessed by medics, but both said there was no need to take them to hospital.

ALSO READ: Man killed in early morning fire at Jurong East flat

The occupant of the affected unit is a 75-year-old woman who lives alone.

The walls of the charred three-room flat were covered in soot and piles of bags and clothes inside it reached up to the windows. There were also many spare home appliances such as radio and fans.

The woman said she had lit the candle after exercising early in the morning and did not think that such a small flame would create so serious a fire.

“I only lit the candle for about five minutes. Very risky, one candle can kill the whole house,” she said.

She will be moving to her family’s flat nearby in the meantime.

It reminded the public not to leave lighted materials such as candles, tealights and incense sticks unattended and to extinguish these before leaving home.

MP for Potong Pasir Sitoh Yih Pin said the town council would be giving the occupant of the burnt flat some financial assistance from a fund it has set up for such purposes to tide her over the short term.

He said the debris should be completely cleared by Friday evening.

All neighbours had returned to their homes by 11.30am.

On Tuesday, a flat in Jurong East caught fire, killing a 48-year-old man.

A day later, it caught fire again, likely reignited by deep-seated embers within the debris.